The Office

Motivation and Ideology

Technology is the driving force behind human progress in society and has a tremendous impact on our lives, both individually and socially. It is the technical means by which people improve their surroundings and accomplish actions in a more efficient or straightforward way. Through technology, people are able to communicate and travel more efficiently and the production and sanitation level of commodities become greater and more effective. SUT recognizes that international scientific dialogue also plays an important role in forwarding the cause of world harmony and transnational understanding. Transfer of technology and cross-border scientific dialogue can be a stepping stone in the advancement of world peace, through a leveling of economic discrepancy and standard of living. Thus, by bringing together the best minds in diverse disciplines from across the borders of various continents of the world, the Office of International and Scientific Cooperation (OISC) at SUT is directly involved in the future development of scientific and technological innovation through the broader spectrum of international scientific collaboration and global interaction.

Responsibilities

OISC operates directly in conjunction with the Office of the President, acting as executor for the direction of all affairs related to International Scientific Cooperation. In recognition of the importance of international discourse, OISC is responsible for matters and events relating to the academic and cultural interests of the university. These activities involve the establishing and maintaining of mutually beneficial cooperative relations with similar institutions of higher learning abroad, including academic and scientific establishments and the organization of projects related to the advancement of international scientific collaboration.

Aims and Goals

The goal of the center's activities is to promote international dialogue and collaboration in advancement of improved scientific and cultural understanding worldwide. OISC aims to establish dialog amongst faculty members and students and to create an atmosphere which lends itself to today's market economy through international scientific and technological exchange.

In fulfillment of these aims, OISC has been instrumental in the developing and maintaining of joint research and doctoral degree programs with major academic institutes around the world, especially in Europe. In an attempt to expand the dynamics of global interaction and international collaboration, SUT has also established a joint undergraduate and graduate international degree program based at Kish University on Kish Island, Iran, which emphasizes vigorous academic interaction with up-to-date scientific institutions and scientists from around the world.

Activities

Scientific and Industrial Relations

With the aid of an excellent team of outstanding scientists and academicians worldwide, who are abreast of the latest technological developments, the activities of OISC have led to successful negotiations, including the signing of various ``Memorandum of Understanding'' between SUT and specific universities and research centers worldwide. These bilateral programs have also included the establishment of new colleges with the collaboration of universities abroad, in the areas of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and the creation of joint EMBA programs. The programs involve the formation of negotiations, scope of collaboration and general terms, exchange of teachers and students, administrative arrangements, program organization and structure.

In order to reinforce relations between academia and industry, OISC has also been involved in developing joint industrial research and management programs between SUT and various international Petroleum Companies outside Iran.

Thus far, OISC has been responsible for creating dynamic collaboration with the following high grade science and engineering institutes abroad:

France

Ecole Polytechnique, Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble (INPG), IFP School, Henri Poincare University, TotalFinaElf (Company), Research n+i Engineering Institute

USA

US National Academy of Sciences (NAS), University of Arizona, Texas A&M University, University of California at Davis, University of Southern California

Canada

McMaster University, University of Calgary

Queen Mary University of London, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Science and Technology Policy Research Center (SPRU), University of Sussex, Leicester University, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham University, Strathclyde University, British Petroleum (BP), Shell Oil Co.

Germany

Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Berlin University of Technology, University of Kassel, Schlumberger Co.

Italy

Polytecnico di Torino, Politecnico di Milano, The University of Rome ``La Sapienza''

Japan

Tokyo Institute of Technology

Netherlands

Technical University of Delft

Spain

Polytechnic University of Madrid

Sweden

Lulea University of Technology

· Publications

Under the auspices of the Office of the Vice President of Research, the OISC also produces the following scholarly publications on periodic bases. All correspondence relating to these titles should be addressed to Professor Abolhassan Vafai, Editor-in-Chief.

v Scientia Iranica

e-mail: scientia@sharif.edu

http://www.scientiairanica.ir

Scientia Iranica is an international journal of science and technology published in English. The objectives of the journal are to provide a forum for the presentation of original works by scientists and engineers around the world and to open an effective channel of communication for the exchange of state-of-the-art research ideas.

Scientia Iranica is multidisciplinary in technical science and engineering and encompasses theoretical as well as experimental research. The journal contains papers on high caliber research projects from noted scholars around the world in various areas of science and engineering, which are now published every two months `Transactions'. This is to enable contributors to focus on `Transactions' in the fields of science and technology and provide a more extensive scope for research into major issues related to the specific titles.

Since its inauguration, Scientia Iranica has enjoyed a remarkably successful publication history and has matured into a fully-fledged scholarly journal renowned for its sincere and responsible dissemination of up-to-date information in specific areas of science and technology. As a result, Scientia Iranica maintains a regular international subscription and can also be found abstracted and indexed in a number of well-known association databases.

v Sharif

e-mail: pajouhesh@sharif.edu

http://www.faslnameh-sharif.ir

Sharif is a Farsi language magazine published quarterly. Articles focus on issues of concern to universities, including research, technological advancements and higher education.

· Seminars and Symposiums

OISC is also responsible for arranging international seminars, symposiums and conferences at SUT, including invitations to eminent scholars in delivering lectures and the publication of state-of-the-art papers and representatives of various nations outside Iran for participation in discussions regarding prospective collaborative scientific and academic exchange.

All foreign correspondence relating to the university, including information regarding international admissions, is referred to OISC.